The Secret to Losing Weight

It’s January, and millions of individuals have made resolutions to lose weight. The television and newspapers are full of diets and diet aids. The radio abounds with ads for weight loss clinics, and books to purchase. With all of this information, you would think that we would all be thin! The problem is that there is so much bad information out there-so how do you know what is effective? There is only one way to lose weight safely, and keep it off. No one wants to hear this—but the answer to effective weight loss is:

• Eat less
• Exercise more.

To gain a pound of weight, you must eat 3500 calories. We burn calories just by breathing, sleeping, and eating. Exercise really helps us burn calories. So if you want to lose weight, you have to decrease your calories by 3500. This can be done by decreasing your normal diet by 500 calories per day (two cans of pop), and in one week, you would lose a pound. Simple—right!? Small things add up. The following are a few things you can do, and not feel that you are depriving yourself:

• Eat five or more fruits and vegetables per day—no one has ever died from from overeating fruits and vegetables. They are low in calories and high in vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
• Drink water when you feel hungry. Most of us walk around dehydrated—and really need to drink when we think we are hungry. Try flavored waters—slices of lemons, limes, and oranges make the water taste better. Eight or more glasses per day.
• Get up and move during commercials—and not to the refrigerator! Do something that makes you move—vacuum, run up and down the stairs, walk in place, anything that gets you out of the chair! Moving burns calories.
• Get enough sleep. Emerging research is showing that lack of sleep can affect the ability to know when we are hungry, and the ability to lose weight. Try eight hours if possible.
• Eat/drink low-fat dairy products. Research has proven that eating three servings of low-fat dairy products per day will help you lose weight. It also helps to prevent osteoporosis. Drink milk!